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A novel decoupling method by utilizing one $1\times2$ subarray to provide a pair of phase-reversed coupling paths for coupling energy cancellation is proposed. The newly proposed decoupling approach is implemented by symmetrically loading several U-type, I-type, and cross strips around the antennas to change the original couplings, so that two elements in the $1\times2$ subarray can form a pair of phase-reversed coupling paths into adjacent element in different subarray for coupling cancellation. Then, the couplings from the subarray to adjacent element are effectively suppressed, thus the isolations between different subarrays of the array are promoted. Moreover, the method can be also applied in improving the isolation between different polarizations in the same subarray. In addition, these strips not only have little influence on radiation characteristics of the antenna array, but also can be etched on the antenna layer without extra profile and process. For demonstration, one dual- polarized patch antenna array based on the new decoupling mechanism is designed. The results indicate that all the isolations between the subarrays of the proposed dual-polarized antenna array can achieve a very high level of over 25 dB in an operation band of 3.4–3.6 GHz. Compared with other decoupling methods, the proposed method can simultaneously improve complex multiple-port isolations among different subarrays and different polarizations to realize a very high isolation with less impact on antenna radiation. Due to above features, the proposed decoupling mechanism is expected to find potential applications in 5G dual-polarized multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) antenna array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel broadband dual-polarized filtering patch antenna array using low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) process for 5G millimeter-wave (mmW) applications. The filtering antenna element is implemented using a ± 45° polarized patch antenna fed by two pairs of differential L-type probes. An additional square ring and open strips are connected to each probe, resulting in radiation nulls and realizing the lower/upper stopband rejection level over 24 dB with skirt selectivity. The cross coupling among these structures not only introduces filtering responses, but also contributes to broadening the passband of 24.25–29.5 GHz covering 5G n257/n258/n261 bands. The antenna performance is validated by equivalent circuits based on transmission line models, which reveals clearly the principles of filtering antenna step by step and provides guidelines for further designs. The proposed filtering antenna element is expanded to a $4\times 4$ filtering antenna array with shunt-fed feeding networks. The spacing between elements is $0.48~\lambda _{0}$. The measured results demonstrate that the array performs good filtering characters including high stopband rejection, high selectivity, and wide upper stopband up to 40 GHz, where the antenna efficiency (considering radiations from all the directions) is less than 5%. In addition, the differential feeds provide symmetric radiation patterns with low cross-polarized counterparts. Compared with other reported works, the proposed filtering antenna/array has excellent performances of wideband, high stopband rejection and wide upper stopband for potential 5G mmW applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]